Shell Oil Comapny

Moye Wicks, Iii

Boyd B Moore

Joe O Esparza

Gregory J Hatton

George John Zabaras

James George Broze

Ajay Praful Mehta

Szabolcs Roland Balkanyi

Chien Kuei Tsai

Gregory S Lester

William King

Frederick Henry Kreisler Rambow

Dennis Edward Dria

Jose Oscar Esparza

Hans E Kubitschek

Afif Samih Halal

Joseph Oscar Esparza

A fluid level control system comprising a structure containing oil and water; a fluid off-take located on said structure; a flow controller fluidly connected to said fluid off-take; a sensor located on said structure and adapted to measure a property of said oil and said water; and a computer for interpreting a signal from said sensor.

Fluid level control system and method of using same

A system for assuring subsea hydrocarbon production flow in pipelines by chilling the hydrocarbon production flow in a heat exchanger and causing solids to form, periodically removing deposits and placing them in a slurry utilizing a closed loop pig launching and receiving systems.

Method and apparatus for a cold flow subsea hydrocarbon production system

A method for monitoring fluid properties with a distributed sensor in a wellbore having an inner surface, a top and a bottom comprising causing the distributed sensor to assume a helical shape, pulling the distributed sensor towards the bottom of the wellbore, while retaining the helical shape of the distributed sensor, feeding the distributed sensor into the wellbore so that the distributed sensor is in substantially continuous contact with the inner surface, and allowing the distributed sensor to become at least partially supported by friction at the inner surface.

Method for monitoring fluid properties

Vibrations are created in a flow conduit by constraining a bluff object having a plurality of positions between which flow of fluid forces the bluff object. In a preferred embodiment, the vibration technique is utilized in a gravel packing tool. Gravel pack sand is placed while the gravel pack tool is vibrated by balls constrained within a wash pipe. A considerably improved gravel pack density is achieved.

Fluid flow conduit vibrator and method

The present invention relates to a subsea pipeline and method utilizing the pipeline wherein the loss of pipeline contents resulting from a break in the pipeline is reduced. The loss of pipeline contents is reduced by providing a plurality of traps in the pipeline. The traps each comprise at least two elevation changes in alternating directions. Any water entering the pipeline through a breach will only displace pipeline contents from the breach to the adjacent lower trap.

Pipeline to reduce loss from breach

A wash down placement of a screen into sand within a well borehole is improved by vibration of a wash pipe as the wash pipe is removed from the screen. A compacted sand gravel pack around the screen is achieved. The vibrations are created by constraining a bluff object having a plurality of positions between which flow of fluid forces the bluff object.

Gravel pack apparatus and method

A device having a large fluid drag tendency is lowered into a well at a rate which gives no net drag against the fluid. The condition of no net drag is indicated by the tension in a line used to lower the tool into the well. When the spool-off rate is such that this tension force is equal to or slightly exceeds the weight of the tool plus the weight of the line in the borehole the tool is moving at a speed equal to the average flow velocity in the well. This velocity may be determined by measurement of the spool-off rate.

Well velocity logging

A permanent magnet motor for operation at elevated temperatures wherein the magnets are clamped to the motor shaft by means of high temperature plastic bushings. The bushings have a coefficient of thermal expansion that exceeds the coefficient of thermal expansion of the motor shaft.

Direct current motor for operation at elevated temperatures in a hostile

A method and apparatus for determining the vapor flow only, or the vapor and liquid flows into various formations surrounding a thermal injection well. The apparatus utilizes a downhole tool having bristles on its outer surface for impeding the flow of fluid past the tool and an instrument at the surface for measuring the drag force produced on the tool as it is moved downward and upward through the well. The fluid flows at various depths in the well are calculated from the measured drag forces.

Method and apparatus for measuring steam profiles in steam injection

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous metal tube having a plurality of electrical conductors disposed therein, by using a spring member to depress the electrical conductors while a flat metal strip is formed into a tubular member and welded to enclose the electrical conductors. The spring member functions to protect the electrical conductors from heat damage. The welding occurs completely downstream of the spring member in order to avoid excessive heat buildup in the spring member.

Temperature compensated wire-conducting tube and method of manufacture

A method and apparatus for measuring both the quality and flow rate of steam injected into a hydrocarbon formation in a thermal recovery process. The method measures both the quantity of water and the flow rate of the steam. Both measurements can be made at any location in the borehole to determine the quality and quantity of steam injected into a particular formation. The apparatus utilizes a propeller motor/generator combination to determine the vapor flow rate; the drag produced by a network of bristles extending across the borehole determines the vapor flow rate and the quantity of liquid present.

Steam quality and flow rate measurement

A method and apparatus for venting purge fluid from an enclosed housing to maintain a positive known reference pressure differential between the housing and the variable pressure atmosphere surrounding the housing. The apparatus utilizes a specially designed fluidized bed to vent the purge fluid while maintaining a positive known reference back pressure. The fluidized bed automatically compensates for changes in the temperature or pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the housing.

Fluidized bed fluid pressure regulator

A network of bristles extending across a steam injection well provides affirmative liquid/vapor separation and control. The orientation of the bristles is controlled to direct the liquid toward or away from the borehole wall as desired.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Moye Wicks, Iii